The visitors in busloads on their Way of the Cross for the Lenten Season came from Trece Martires in Cavite City, Angeles City in Pampanga, Calamba City in Laguna and North Caloocan, Metro Manila.
Sha-Sha Rosales, one of the pilgrims from North Caloocan, said they were in eight buses of 60 persons per bus.
Bataan has seven old churches that were built 215 to 428 years ago and declared as pilgrimage sites.
All these churches were constructed under the control and administration of the Dominicans.
These are located in the towns of Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Pilar and Orion and the City of Balanga.
Although all of the churches underwent various renovations, common major materials were sturdy big bricks locally known as batong silyar. These concrete items are very evident on the walls of the churches.
The church of Abucay is the oldest in Bataan and one of the first built in the country being 428 years old. Sto. Domingo de Guzman is the patron saint. The church of Samal, with Saint Catherine of Siena as patron saint, follows at 420 years.
Orion church (Saint Michael the Archangel) is 349 years old; Orani (Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario), 306 years; Balanga (Saint Joseph), 302 years; Hermosa (Saint Peter de Varona), 260 years; and Pilar (Virgen Milagrosa del Pilar) at 215 years.
